Mac had to tell someone. He couldn't keep something this big to himself forever. He'd already told his parents and his brother, and they'd acted exactly the way he had expected them to. Upset and wanting to see him. They wanted him to spend his last remaining week with them enjoying himself. But how could he just leave and enjoy himself knowing he was leaving all his friends behind? No. He decided to act as if nothing were different. At least his last few weeks on Earth would be normal. Or as normal as you could get at East Hampton hospital.

He wasn't going to tell any of his friends at first. But the knowledge was killing him quicker than the disease itself. So one night he grabbed Guy and dragged him to the bar, pumping him full of alcohol. That way he wouldn't remember anything. Or at least, Mac hoped he wouldn't remember he'd been informed of Mac's death until after he was gone. It was better that way. Guy didn't have to feel bad because he never knew and Mac didn't have to put up with Guy's constant snide remarks that he knew would come to try and deal with the pain of losing his best friend.

Guy was rambling on about some mate who'd had his penis chewed off by a mouse. Of at least, Mac thought that was what he'd said. He hadn't been listening. He'd been too busy trying to decide how to tell Guy.

"Talk of honesty, I umm… there's something… I have to tell you… uhh something I have to tell someone," he paused wondering whether to continue or not. "Which is ummm… ummm I- I'm dying."

Guy just stared at him as though Mac had sprouted wings and floated up to heaven. Guy looked at his pint for a moment, then back at Mac.

"What?" He asked, as though he were expecting a punch line of a joke.

"I'm dying," Mac repeated, praying that Guy was too drunk to realise the seriousness of what he was saying.

"What?" Guy asked again, still looking totally blank. Mac patted his shoulder.

"I'm dying," he said quietly.

"Are you trying to tell me that- what?" Guy looked at him frowning worriedly as though he were still half hoping it was some kind of drunken joke. "You- you what? What are you… what of? Ginger-itus?"

Mac smiled, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. Looked like Guy was just drunk enough to forget this conversation later.

"Are you dying of a small cock?" Guy looked at him and it was in that instant that Mac realised just how much he would miss Guy if it was the other way round. He nodded hoping that Guy would start talking about some other nonsense.

"What?" Guy persisted, wanting a straight answer.

"Umm," Mac reached into his coat pocket, looking for a pen.

"Is it in there? Are you dying of something in there?" Guy sounded like a child in awe now. Like he was being shown a dead frog or something else suitably gross and yet fascinating. "What are you dying of?"

Mac pulled one of the beer coasters towards him and turned it over, beginning to write on the back of it.

"It's got an A and an E in it," Mac began as he tried with his fuggy brain to remember how to spell it.

"Acne? You're dying of acne?" The hope in Guy's voice that it's still a joke is almost too much for Mac to take. He chuckled sadly as he sat back and Guy picked up the coaster. "Shit."

Mac nodded.

"Ah no. How long have you got?" Guy stared at the words written on the card. Even though Guy knew the illness was terminal Mac had taken it upon himself to write 'Game Over' below. Maybe it was to soften the blow, Guy wasn't sure, but it made it seem a lot more final than if Mac had just told him.

"Yup, just a few err… just a few weeks," Mac replied the lump returning to his throat again.

"You're joking?" Guy looked distraught and Mac decided to change tact before one or both of them started blubbing.

"Please, do not tell Caroline. Just don't wanna make it feel all… weird for her. Yeah? So shtum," Mac put a finger to his lips and Guy nodded.

"Yeah."

"Promise?"

"Yeah. Jesus," Guy sighed glancing at his pint. "That's… that is absolutely… what were we talking about again?"

Mac rubbed a hand over his eyes and laughed, but it came out more as a sob.

"I think it was something to do with a mouse," he said sadly.

"Oh yeah! My mate had half his cock chewed off by a mouse!" Guy said grinning like an idiot.

They both laughed, but Mac couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears started streaming down his face.

"Fuck. Oh fuck…" he muttered, voice cracking as he took a sip of his pint, hoping Guy would notice the tears.

"You twat! Why are you dying?" Guy looked at him, his own eyes shinning now.

"I don't know," Mac put his pin back on the table and his head in his hands, sobbing harder. "I don't know…"

"You're an idiot," Guy put his pint down too.

"What because I'm dying?" Mac managed to ask between sobs.

"Yeah," Guy wiped his face furiously, determined not to cry. "You're going to abandon me!"

"You've got Caroline…" Mac pointed out.

"But she's not you," Guy replied, edging closer. "I love her as partner. I love you as friend. It's not the same."

Mac sat up a little straighter, hoping the crying would stop soon. If he'd managed to get to Guy that badly he knew that neither were drunk enough to forget.

"And I've never managed to bed you," Guy continued. "You'll spoil my world record for having everyone in the hospital at least once!"

"Sorry," Mac chuckled, sniffing slightly.

Guy looked at him. Ok, it was a lie; he didn't want to bed everyone in the hospital. But he didn't want to let Mac go without a proper goodbye. Mac looked at him expectantly and Guy knew what he had to do then.

Guy leant forward and caught Mac's lips in a soft kiss, stopping the other man in his tracks. The pub was almost empty now and no one was sober enough to pay attention to either of them.

Mac had expected a lot of different reactions from Guy, but this hadn't been one of them. He thought about pulling away, but then he only had a few weeks left, he might as well try everything. And if he was going to go with any man, Guy was probably his best option. Even if he was a wanker.

"Come on," Guy said finally pulling back and standing up.

Mac looked up at him, wondering if either of them really knew what they were about to let themselves in for. Guy held out his hand and Mac took it gratefully, allowing himself to be gently pulled along by the other man.

"We ummm…" Guy paused once they were outside in the cold night air. "We should probably go back to yours."

Mac nodded and threaded his fingers through Guy's, pulling him the right way. The pair didn't say anything, but neither did they let go of each other the entire time. They stumbled up the stairs and into Mac's flat. Still they did not talk, both fearing that if they said something, they'd suddenly realise that what they were about to do, would have serious consequences for all involved; and that included Caroline.

They turned and glanced at each other, kissing again, and heading blindly towards the bedroom, hands beginning to wander over the other's body.

Mac woke early the next morning and turned over in bed to find Guy still asleep, snoring lightly. He glanced about the room. Their clothes were strewn everywhere. The whole evening was a bit of a blur, but Mac remember enough clearly to know how it had happened and that no doubt Guy would remember that his best friend was dying.

Mac smiled slightly to himself. Even if Guy did remember, maybe it didn't matter. The donkey faced wanker had done something that Mac would always be thankful for, even though he knew that the moment they left for work, they'd never mention it again.

Guy snuffled and turned over bleary eyed, groaning when he caught sight of Mac, lying beside him, looking straight back.

"Oh god, I didn't dream it," Guy sighed, usually sarcastic defences slamming back into place. "You were better than I thought you'd be."

"You weren't so bad yourself," Mac replied.

"Weren't so bad?" Guy scoffed. "I'll have you know that no one can live up to that. You'll never have sex that good ever again."

"I won't have sex ever again full stop soon," Mac turned onto his back looking at the ceiling.

"Oh yeah…" Guy paused. "Well at least now you can rest easy in the knowledge that you did have to best possible before you died."

Mac wasn't sure how such a twat-y comment could make him feel better, but somehow coming from Guy, it made all the difference.

"I love you too," Mac said finally.

"What?" Guy frowned slightly.

"Last night you said you loved me as a friend," Mac shrugged. "I'm just saying love you too."

"You soppy git," Guy said but grinned to take the sting out of his words. "You don't know, you might not die."

Mac looked at him knowing that Guy was just trying to make him see the positive side in the worst possible situation.

"Nah," Mac shook his head, sitting up and stretching. "We better get ready. We'll be late for work else."

The pair got up, washed, dressed, had breakfast and made their way towards the front door. When they got there, they both paused and glanced at each other, thinking the same thing.

"We probably shouldn't mention this to Caroline," Guy said.

"Yeah, maybe we should just keep it our secret," Mac suggested.

Guy nodded and gave Mac one last swift kiss. In all his life, Guy had not once managed to keep a secret, especially not one like this, but Mac knew as he watched his best friend walk down the stairs towards the door out into the street, that this time he'd keep his promise and wouldn't tell a soul.